Grouser



May 24 1927.

1,629,768 P. WEEKS GROUSER Filed June 21, 1926 Paull Weeks @New lum,

' for securing the same.

Patented May 24, 1927.

1,629,168 PATENTI OFFICE.

PAUL WEEKS, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR T0 THE SECRETARY OFUWAR 0F THE UNITED STATES, TRUSTEE.

GROUSER.

Application filed June 21, 1926. seriai No. 117,651.r

The invention described herein may' be used by the Government, or any of its oficers or employees in prosecution of work for the Government, or by any other person in the lUnited States, without payment to me of any royalty thereon, in accordance with the act of March 3, 1883.

v rThe subject of this invention is a grouser.

In vehicles of the track laying type it is customary to provide grousers for the track Yshoes which `may be removed or attached accoi-ding to the nature of the road to be traveled. Y

In those types of track shoes which are equipped with rubber' treads it is not practical or desirable to rapply a grouser by means of bolts or any securing means which would penetrate the rubber and while fa consideration of this nature has led to the present design the structure is such as to be used advantageously with other types of shoes.` f

' The principal object then of the present invention is to provide a grouser which may' be quickly applied to a track shoey without requiring'anyv special provision on the shoe To these andother ends, my invention consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of elements, described herein* after and pointed out in the claims forming a part of this specification.

A practical is illustrated'in the accompanying drawings,

wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a vehicle showing my improved grouser applied to'several of the track shoes;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing one step in the assembling operation;

Fig. 3 is a` similar view showing the grouser in place;

Fig. l 1s a sectional view on the line 4.-4 Y

of Fig. 5;

Fig. 5 lis a sectional view on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a detail view of the locking key.

Referring to the drawings by numerals of reference:

There is shown a vehicle 5 equipped with an endless self-laying sectional track 6, each section comprising a shoe 7 having link members 8-8 whereby the shoes may be connected through the usual link pins. In the embodiment of the invention present instance 'the shoe consists of a tread plate 9 havingupturned or beaded sides 10 between which is a rubber pad 11, or the like,-forming the tread for travelover improved roads.

The Agrouser 12 which r'is to be applied to the slice for,` cross ycountry travel is inthey form of a three-sided plate, the end portion 1 13 yconstituting the pressure" .plate and disposed when yin place transversely` ofand perpendicular to the track, While the two substantially triangular side portions 1st-,14,

which are at right angles thereto, are formed each with a pair of spaced ears 15 and 1G conforming generally to the shape of the heads'on the tread plate so-that when the grouser has been mounted in position it will `be securely held againstlateral displacement. y

In order that the grouser may be easilyslid onto the tread plate without interference of the pressure plate withV the succeeding shoe, the foremost ears 16 `are enlargedatrtheir tion of the grouser during the assembling operation. This construction .is necessary inasmuch as the pressure plate when in place rests on the link members, the load being thus transmitted to the links and the reaction due to drawbar pull is taken against Ythe tread plate. rIhe length of the ears 15 is only limited by the distance separating the tread plates.

The means for' retaining the grouser consists preferably of a spring key 17 which is inserted through apertures 18-18, onein each of the side portions 141 and the key when in place bears against the face of the tread plate` 9 so that there will be no possibility of dislodging ythe rubber pad. The spring locking key does not resist the drawbar pull except when the tractor is moving in reverse.

Vhile I have shown the grouser as being 'rear ends as at 16a which permits manipulatween the tread plates is usually greatest it v may valso be vapplied on the upper stretch of the track. In order to provide clearance for assembling succeeding grousers the side portionsare cut away as at 14a.

Vhile in the foregoing there has been illustrated and described such combination and arrangement of elements as constitute the preferred embodiment of my invention,

it is nevertheless desired to emphasize the fact that interpretation o'l the invention should only be made in the light of the subjoined claims.

I claim:

l. In a combination, a track `for vehicles consisting of tread plates having link members, a grouser for each tread plate, said grouser formed of a transverse pressure plate adapted When in place to rest on the link members and longitudinally extending substantially triangular side plates each provided with an aperture, a pair or" ears formed on said side plates for gripping the tread plate, the foremost of said ears enlarged at one end to facilitate application ot the grouser, and a spring key insertable through the apertures of the side plates and cngageable against the tread plate.

i?. In combination, a track for vehicles consisting o'l tread plates having link members, a grouser for each tread plate, said grouser formed of a transverse pressure plate and longitudinally extending substantially triangular side plates each provided with an aperture, a pair of ears formed on said side plates for gripping the tread plate, the foremost of sai-d ears enlarged at one end to facilitate application of the grouser, anda spring key insertable through the apertures ot the side plates and engageable against the tread plate.

3. In combination, a track for vehicles consisting of tread plates having link members, a grouser for each tread plate, said grouser formed of a transverse pressureV plate and Vlongitudinally extending' substantially triangular side plates each provided with an aperture, a pair of ears formed on said side plates for gripping the tread plate, vand a spring key insertable through the apertures of the side plates and engageable against the tread plate.

4l. In combination, a track for vehicles consisting of linked tread plates, a grouser the tread plate and engageable against one' ot its transverse faces, sideV pieces on said pressure plate having each an aperture, and a key insertable through the apertures of the side pieces and engageable against the other transverse face of the tread plate.

6. In combination, a grouser, an element to which the grouser Ais to be attached, said lgrouser-i'ormed with a transverse pressure plate and longitudinally extending side plates tor gripping bothV sides of said element, and. means engaging the side plates and abutting against the treadV plate for retaining the grouser in place.

PAUL WEEKs. 

